Since the early days of bodybuilding, nutrition has been the key to a great physique.

Wanna get huge? You gotta eat more.

But today, people tend to get caught up in the small details: clean eating vs. IIFYM. Low-fat vs. no fat. Gluten-free or non-GMO. The list goes on.

Each of these have their own important distinctions, but for the majority of us, we just need a simple solution to getting amazing results.

That’s where this article comes in.

As someone who appreciates the traditional, bro-style methods of physique sculpting, I want us to journey back to the old school. While it may not be the hot topic of the industry anymore, carb cycling is still an incredibly effective practice, one that deserves another look.

What is Carb Cycling?

Just like flexible dieting, carb cycling is nothing more than a method of eating that can be used in any diet. If the total calories are right, it works. It doesn’t matter if you eat six meals a day or practice intermittent fasting, you can cycle your intake of carbohydrates.

At the core, carb cycling is just another (easy to follow) approach to nutrition; there’s nothing magical about it.

Why Carb Cycling Works

There are all sorts of health benefits that we could discuss: improved insulin sensitivity, stable energy levels, and more cool-sounding things. Rather than dive into all that, let’s just jump to the part where I tell you why I love it so much.

Without a doubt, Carb Cycling’s by far the easiest dietary method I’ve ever tried. That’s not to say it won’t require effort and sacrifice to reach your goals, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s just the most pleasant of diets.

You simply eat your lean protein and veggies with more carbs on the days that you lift weights and then the same with just fewer carbs on the days that you don’t lift weights.

Pretty straight forward, right? On to the next point.

We’ll cover specifics below, but for those who are precise with their food tracking, this allows you to enjoy a bit of everything. On higher carb days, you can fit in more pasta, rice, Skittles, or whatever else your carb of choice may be.

And those low-carb days? Be miserable no more. The extra fat means you can eat more steak, whole eggs, buffalo wings, or anything else you fancy. Hell, you can even throw butter in your coffee, if you’re that kind of person.

Carb Cycling: How To

Ah, the fun stuff: now you get to read directions and do math things.

If you want to try carb cycling, there are three different methods I like to use with my clients. All have their place, and while carb cycling can be effective for bulking phases, the examples below are set up for fat loss.

Bonus Tip: If you really want to make this effective, try doing a Roman-style insulin reset, in which you go several weeks with close to zero carbs. That will make your method of choice more effective and allow you to fully benefit from the carbs you do eat.

#1 Straight Up: High and Low Days

This is the most basic method. It’s useful for those who are new to dieting or who don’t want to spend too much time planning different macro intakes. Simplistic and effective, this one is quick to pick up, and a good choice for those who want to give carb cycling a trial run.

With this method, I like to have my rest day calories to come out slightly lower than my training day calories. There are some complex macro calculations out there that you can do, but frankly, they’re a lot of work. Here’s a simpler formula that gets the job done; the job, i.e. figuring out your individual macros for training and rest days.

Just remember, you may need to adjust them throughout your training if progress slows. Start with carbs first; for the most part, you’ll want to leave the protein and fat alone.

Set your protein at 1g per pound of bodyweight, and set your fat anywhere between .25-.45g per pound (lower if you have higher carbs, and vice versa). On training days, set your carbs at 1.25-1.5g per pound of bodyweight. On rest days, set your carbs at .5g per poundandincrease fat by .10g/pound.

When you apply these calculations to a 200-pound bro with a maintenance level of 2,600 calories, you get the following.

Training Days: 200 Protein, 250 Carbs, 70 Fat (2,385 calories)

Rest Days: 200 Protein, 50 Carbs, 90 Fat (1,810 calories)

#2 Three Way: High, Medium, and Low Days

This is a somewhat advanced variation, with three levels of caloric intake. This is useful for a person who’s already somewhat fit or trains more than 4 days per week. It’s also useful for recomposition, as you’ll have at least one day with calories above maintenance level.

With the three-way method, you’ll have medium and low days, which are the same levels from method one above. The difference comes one or two days a week when you’ll have a high carb day. Pick one day to really jack your carbs up if you train 4 times per week, and choose two high carbs days if you train five or more days per week.

This high day should be the day you have your most grueling training session. I

Let’s use the same dude from above, with the 2,600-calorie maintenance level shooting for fat loss. The calculations for low and medium days are the same as above. For the high days, keep fat low at .35g per pound, and simply increase carbs to 2g per pound of bodyweight. For this method, the new calculations look like this:

Low Days: 200 Protein, 50 Carbs, 90 Fat (1,810 calories)

Medium Days: 200 Protein, 250 Carbs, 65 Fat (2,385 calories)

High Days: 200 Protein, 400 Carbs, 65 Fat (2,985 calories)

Long Depletion: 5-6 Days Low Carb, One Super High ReFeed

This is for the advanced trainee who’s been grinding away at a diet for a long time, or for those prepping for a contest or photoshoot and are looking to lose those last few stubborn pounds.

Five to six days on very low carbs will deplete your glycogen stores and when combined with super high carb days, you’ll experience a nice metabolic effect. The benefits are similar to having a massive cheat day followed by a 24-hour fast, only on a smaller scale.

With this protocol, which requires the willpower of a Jedi, the low carb days will be very tough. You may feel physically and mentally drained, but be strong. A glorious carb-feast is just around the corner. On the high carb day, I suggest hitting your toughest workout, and then eating a ton of carbs for the rest of the day.

Note:you will be a few pounds heavier the day after your refeed, so don’t bother weighing yourself. This is due to increased glycogen, which will increase water weight. If you feel bloated and heavy, give it a couple days back on the low carbs, and it will all balance out.

While the high carb day may seem extreme, assuming you stay within your macro limits, you’ll still be in a good caloric deficit for the week. You shouldn’t gain any real fat, just a bit of water weight for a few days.

Yet again, let’s use our trusty 200-pound avatar who’s trying to get his shred on. For the very low depletion days, use 1g per pound for protein, .25g per pound for carbs, and .45g per pound for fat. For the refeed days, protein is the same, fat goes down to .35g per pound, and carbs increase to 2.25g per pound.

Low Days: 200 Protein, 50 Carbs, 90 Fat (1,810 calories)

Super High Day: 200 Protein, 450 Carbs, 70 Fat (3,230 calories)

If 450 carbs in a day seems like way too much, go eat some candy, pancakes, or a donut, and then tell me how you feel. Sure, it’ll be tough to hit with rice and potatoes, but if you allow yourself to have some fun, this number is very attainable.

Completing the Cycle

If you’ve run into a wall with your fat loss efforts, carb-cycling is just the thing you need.

For those new to carb cycling, the first or second method are great places to start. Give it a few weeks, and see how it goes. If you’ve already been cycling your carbohydrate intake for a while, you might be ready to step up to the advanced stage – using long depletions and refeed days.

If you want to fully optimize your progress and get lean, you need to pair this dietary approach with a well-designed fat-loss program. To help you out, I’ve put together a complete four-week fat loss program that I’m giving away for free. The workouts match perfectly with a carb-cycling diet, so grab your copy here and let me know if you have any questions!

About the Author

Matt Dustin is an online trainer, performance coach, and fitness author based out of San Diego, California. He believes in training for both performance and aesthetics, and is a bro at heart. You can learn more at his website, MattDustin.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.